2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Wins Top Satisfaction Award

The 2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid topped the Hybrid Car/EV category in the 2012 AutoPacific Vehicle Satisfaction Awards (VSA).

The Hyundai Sonata Hybrid features company’s Hybrid Blue Drive system with a powertrain entirely developed in-house.

The Sonata Hybrid can be driven in zero emissions, fully electric drive mode at speeds up to 72 miles per hour or in blended gas-electric mode at any speed.

The Hyundai Sonata Hybrid also features a lithium polymer battery pack, making Hyundai the first automaker in the world to incorporate this remarkably efficient battery technology into production vehicles. All Sonata Hybrids are covered by Hyundai’s Lifetime Hybrid Battery Replacement Guarantee.

The 2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid is priced at $25,850; that is the lowest MSRP of any hybrid mid-size sedan on the market.

AutoPacific’s VSA survey measures how satisfied an owner is with his/her new car or light truck.

This study by the Southern California-based automotive research firm summarizes the results of more than 75,000 surveys completed by owners of new cars and light trucks in the United States in the first quarter of 2012. Additionally, Hyundai finished fifth overall in the Popular Brand rankings.

“Owners have made the Sonata a star in AutoPacific’s Vehicle Satisfaction Awards. In fact, when the all-new Sonata first launched in 2010, owners gave it the highest Vehicle Satisfaction Score we have ever recorded,” notes Daniel Hall, Vice President of AutoPacific. “The Hyundai Sonata Hybrid appears to be carrying on the tradition.”

The 2012 Vehicle Satisfaction Awards are based on scores developed using results from AutoPacific’s national New Vehicle Satisfaction Survey. Respondents to this survey are owners of new 2012 model year cars and trucks purchased from September through December 2011.

Respondents rate 48 attributes for importance in the purchase decision and satisfaction after purchase.

The most satisfying EV was the 2012 Chevrolet Volt, while in the Hybrid SUV category, the 2012 Lexus RX 450h was named the top-rated hybrid truck.

Here are all category winners:

Passenger Cars:
Top Rated Premium Luxury Car - 2012 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
Top Rated Aspirational Luxury Car - 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Top Rated Luxury Mid-Size Car - 2012 Lincoln MKZ
Top Rated Large Car - 2012 Chrysler 300
Top Rated Premium Mid-Size Car - 2012 Volkswagen Passat
Top Rated Mid-Size Car - 2012 Subaru Legacy
Top Rated Premium Compact Car - 2012 Volkswagen GTI
Top Rated Compact Car - 2012 Volkswagen Beetle
Top Rated Economy - 2012 Chevrolet Sonic
Top Rated Sports Car - 2012 Chevrolet Corvette
Top Rated Sporty Car - 2012 Scion tC
Top Rated Hybrid/EV Car - 2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

Light Trucks:
Top Rated Heavy Duty Pickup - 2012 Ford F-Series Super Duty
Top Rated Large Light Duty Pickup - 2012 Ford F-150
Top Rated Compact Pickup - 2012 Nissan Frontier
Top Rated Luxury Sport Utility Vehicle - 2012 Cadillac Escalade
Top Rated Large Sport Utility Vehicle - 2012 GMC Yukon
Top Rated Premium Mid-Size Sport Utility Vehicle - 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Top Rated Premium Luxury Crossover SUV - 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML
Top Rated Luxury Crossover SUV - 2012 Cadillac SRX
Top Rated Large Crossover SUV - 2012 Chevrolet Traverse
Top Rated Premium Mid-Size Crossover SUV - 2012 Honda Pilot
Top Rated Mid-Size Crossover SUV – 2012 Honda CR-V
Top Rated Compact Crossover SUV- 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan
Top Rated Minivan - 2012 Lexus RX450h Hybrid